Sunday Service – June 28th

Hi everyone!

I hope you’re all doing well, and that you survived both our mini-heatwave this week, and avoided getting washed away in Saturday’s torrents! 

You may have seen in the press that the Prime Minister gave permission last Tuesday for places of worship to open for services from July 4th, albeit under social distancing and Covid-prevention hygiene measures. The Government has not yet issued any guidance about what these measures will need to be, and the restrictions under which we will have to hold any services. Once they have done this, the Church of England will in turn issue its guidance, which is what we must follow, applying it to our context.

Although we are very much looking forward to being able to meet once more in our church buildings, I think it’s fair to say that starting services in church again is going to be complex. We must do so with sensitivity, recognising that some will still not be able to access them, and also that many have valued our online Sunday services and social gatherings after. However, we must also acknowledge what we’ve lived through during these last months, and the grief and loss that have impacted so many. I will be in contact with you all, once our Wardens and I have agreed our plans.

We’re again exploring Paul’s Letter to the Romans this week, looking at chapter 6, verses 12-23: “The ‘Presents’ of God”. 

Do watch the video here at 9.30AM on Sunday 28th, and then, as usual, join us here on Zoom (Meeting ID: 864 0083 1074; Password: 549794) from 10.15AM for a catch-up with all your Cranmer Group friends.

And of course you can also catch up later with the Online Service, on our YouTube channel here.

Our worship this morning is, as usual, led by Deb and Deborah, but with an added twist. Deborah Davies has recruited a couple of her promising young singers to lead us in one of our hymns – Jake Broughton from Whatton and Rose Tomlinson from Orston, singing in Deborah’s garden, with her accompanying them from inside the house! It’s great – thank you all so much. 

Our hymns today are:

Take My Life
Sung by Jake Broughton (Whatton) & Rose Tomlinson (Orston), accompanied by Deborah Davies

Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,

Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,

Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,

Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,

Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,

Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,

Frances Havergal

Ye Servants of God 
Played by Deb Hubbard

Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim, 
And publish abroad his wonderful name; 
The name all-victorious of Jesus extol; 
His kingdom is glorious and rules over all.

God ruleth on high, almighty to save; 
And still he is nigh, his presence we have; 
The great congregation his triumph shall sing, 
Ascribing salvation to Jesus our King.

Salvation to God, who sits on the throne! 
Let all cry aloud, and honour the Son; 
The praises of Jesus the angels proclaim, 
Fall down on their faces and worship the Lamb.

Then let us adore, and give him his right: 
All glory and power, all wisdom and might, 
All honour and blessing with angels above 
And thanks never-ceasing, and infinite love.

Charles Wesley

As usual, if you’d prefer to read rather than listen to the podcast, the sermon transcript, reading and prayers can be downloaded here:

And if you cannot make it to our churches for private prayer (see the homepage for the times when each church is open every week), do keep joining us for our online prayer gatherings:

To join Morning Prayer on Zoom, Wednesdays & Fridays 9.00-9.30AM, click here (meeting ID: 873 3636 1158; Password: 629570).

To join Evening Prayer on Zoom, Thursdays 8.00-8.30PM, click here (meeting ID: 873 3636 1158; Password: 629570).

Best wishes, and God bless,

Rev. Tim Chambers
Vicar
The Cranmer Group

E-mail: curate@stgilesparish.com 
Mobile: 07946 526569

Sunday Service – June 21st

Hi All!

It’s great to be with you this morning, having been – in my case, not just for the first time in a long time, but actually for the first time full stop, in most cases – in many of our beautiful churches this week, as we’ve been able to open them for times of private prayer. I have really valued these quiet times in God’s presence, praying to Him and waiting on Him. I hope that those of you who have, like me, gone to pray, have found it a real pleasure to be back in our buildings, even if still under very restricted circumstances.

It’s been a real pleasure to bump into some of you there (still socially distanced, of course!), as you have been into the churches to pray too. We’ll continue to open each church at the same times each week until further notice – see the blog post of June 14th for details of which church is open when. Thank you so much to all of our Wardens for making this possible – it is hugely appreciated by me and by our Cranmer Group church family.

We continue our preaching following the Lectionary, in Paul’s Letter to the Romans, chapter 6, verses 1-11: “Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ!”
Do watch the video here at 9.30AM on Sunday 21st, and then, as usual, join us here on Zoom (Meeting ID: 864 0083 1074; Password: 549794) from 10.15AM for a catch-up with all your Cranmer Group friends.

Our worship this morning is, as usual, led by Deb and Deborah – thank you both. Our hymns today are:

O For a Heart to Praise My God

O for a heart to praise my God,
A heart from sin set free;
A heart that always feels thy blood
So freely shed for me.

A heart resigned, submissive, meek,
My dear Redeemer’s throne;
Where only Christ is heard to speak,
Where Jesus reigns alone.

A humble, lowly, contrite heart,
Believing, true, and clean,
Which neither life nor death can part
From him that dwells within.

A heart in every thought renewed,
And full of love divine;
Perfect and right and pure and good –
A copy, Lord, of thine.

Thy nature, gracious Lord, impart,
Come quickly from above;
Write thy new name upon my heart,
Thy new best name of Love.

Charles Wesley

Lord, for the Years

Lord, for the years
Your love has kept and guided,
Urged and inspired us,
Cheered us on our way,
Sought us and saved us,
Pardoned and provided:
Lord of the years,
We bring our thanks today.

Lord, for that word,
The word of life which fires us,
Speaks to our hearts
And sets our souls ablaze,
Teaches and trains,
Rebukes us and inspires us:
Lord of the word,
Receive your people’s praise.

Lord, for our land
In this our generation,
Spirits oppressed by
Pleasure, wealth and care:
For young and old,
For commonwealth and nation,
Lord of our land,
Be pleased to hear our prayer.

Lord, of our world
Where men disown and doubt you,
Loveless in strength,
And comfortless in pain,
Hungry and helpless,
Lost indeed without you;
Lord of the world,
We pray that Christ may reign.

Lord, of ourselves,
In living power remake us
Self on the cross
And Christ upon the throne,
Past put behind us,
For the future take us;
Lord of our lives,
To live for Christ alone.

Timothy Dudley-Smith

As usual, if you’d prefer to read rather than listen to the podcast, the sermon transcript, reading and prayers can be downloaded here:

To join Morning Prayer on Zoom, Wednesdays & Fridays 9.00-9.30AM, click here (meeting ID: 873 3636 1158; Password: 629570).

And if you cannot make it to our churches for private prayer, do keep joining us for our online prayer gatherings:

To join Evening Prayer on Zoom, Thursdays 8.00-8.30PM, click here (meeting ID: 873 3636 1158; Password: 629570).

Best wishes, and God bless,

Rev. Tim Chambers
Vicar
The Cranmer Group

E-mail: curate@stgilesparish.com 
Mobile: 07946 526569

Sunday Service – June 14th

Hi Everyone!

After last week’s Café Church Online Service by video, we’ve decided that we’ll take advantage of all the new filming and editing skills that we’ve learned, and we’ve put our regular service in video as opposed to podcast this week too. I hope you enjoy it, even if Esther doesn’t make an appearance this time around!

We’re continuing with the Church of England’s Lectionary, so we’ll be following readings over the next few weeks from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Watch the video here at 9.30AM on Sunday 14th, and then, as usual, join us here on Zoom (Meeting ID: 864 0083 1074; Password: 549794)  from 10.15AM for a catch-up with all your Cranmer Group friends. We could even discuss the sermon one of these weeks!

We also have some good news to share with you – we’re now able to open our church buildings, for private prayer only, in line with new Government guidance. 

Thanks to the efforts of our Wardens and others to ensure that we have all the necessary social distancing and hygiene arrangements in place, we’re very pleased to be opening up our churches again. Do come and spend some quiet time with God in our beautiful churches – they will be open from Monday 15th June according to the following timetable, which will apply to every week until further notice – 

In our service, our worship is, as usual, led by Deb and Deborah – thank you both. Our hymns today are:

Holy, Holy, Holy 

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
Who wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
Though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Reginald Heber

     

All My Hope on God Is Founded

All my hope on God is founded;
He doth still my trust renew.
Me through change and chance he guideth,
Only good and only true.
God unknown,
He alone
Calls my heart to be his own.

Human pride and earthly glory,
Sword and crown betray his trust;
What with care and toil he buildeth,
Tower and temple, fall to dust.
But God’s power,
Hour by hour,
Is my temple and my tower.

God’s great goodness aye endureth,
Deep his wisdom, passing thought:
Splendour, light, and life attend him,
Beauty springeth out of naught.
Evermore
From his store
New-born worlds rise and adore.

Daily doth the Almighty giver
Bounteous gifts on us bestow;
His desire our soul delighteth,
Pleasure leads us where we go.
Love doth stand
At his hand;
Joy doth wait on his command.

Still from earth to God eternal
Sacrifice of praise be done,
High above all praises praising
For the gift of Christ his Son.
Christ doth call
One and all:
Ye who follow shall not fall.

Joachim Neander (trans. Robert Bridges)

     

As usual, if you’d prefer to read rather than listen to the podcast, the sermon transcript, reading and prayers can be downloaded here:

And if you cannot make it to our churches for private prayer, do keep joining us for our Morning and Evening Prayer gatherings on Zoom – Wednesdays and Fridays at 9AM, and Thursdays at 8PM.

Best wishes, and God bless,

Rev. Tim Chambers
Vicar
The Cranmer Group

E-mail: curate@stgilesparish.com 
Mobile: 07946 526569

Sunday Service – Café Church Online, Trinity Sunday, June 7th

Hi Everyone! 

This Sunday’s something of an adventure for us, since we have both our first, informal Café Church Online service and also, God – and all the complex technology – willing, our first video service as opposed to a podcast. Lots of prayer (as well as lots of effort) has gone into, we hope, its successful launch!

Clare shares some children’s activities related to our Bible passage, The Wise and Foolish Builders, both in the video (to watch at 9.30AM on Sunday 7th, and then on Youtube thereafter) and also in the activities that are on the Cranmer Kids Pinterest Page.

As is usual now, join us here on Zoom (Meeting ID: 864 0083 1074; Password: 549794)  from 10.15AM for a catch-up with all your friends. 
This week, after the service has finished, grab yourself a coffee and make yourself a traditional Café Church bacon sandwich, and bring them to Zoom with you!

   

I spoke in my talk about the importance of Scripture, Worship, Prayer and Fellowship in helping us to build our lives on the sure foundation of a relationship with Jesus Christ. I mentioned that there would be some top recommendations from me of brilliant contemporary worship songs, and great traditional hymns, to help you to worship the Lord. Here goes…

Tim’s Top 5 Worship Songs:

King of Kings
Hope and Glory
My Lighthouse
Goodness of God
Raise a Hallelujah

Tim’s Top 5 Hymns:

Tell Out My Soul!
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
And Can It Be that I Should Gain?
When I survey the Wondrous Cross
Thou Whose Almighty Word (Let There Be Light!)

I hope you enjoy my choices; do let me know what yours would be too!

As usual, if you’d prefer to read rather than listen to the podcast, the sermon transcript, reading and prayers can be downloaded here:

You are all in Clare’s and my prayers. Go well, have a good week, and be blessed,

Rev. Tim Chambers
Vicar
The Cranmer Group

E-mail: curate@stgilesparish.com 
Mobile: 07946 526569

Newsletter – June 5th

Some of you will have received this month’s Newsletter via email – the links to other URLs should work in that document. Here on the website, however, they don’t work due to the document’s format, so all the links you can see in the document are given at the end of the Newsletter.

Even though we’re still subject to many social distancing constraints, do join us in what we have going on this month – especially the first Café Church Online!

Links within the Newsletter:

To join our Online Service, Sundays 9.30-10.00AM, click here.

To join our gathering on Zoom, Sundays 10.15-11.00AM, click here (meeting ID: 864 0083 1074; Password: 549794).

To join Morning Prayer on Zoom, Wednesdays & Fridays 9.00-9.30AM, click here (meeting ID: 873 3636 1158; Password: 629570).

To join Evening Prayer on Zoom, Thursdays 8.00-8.30PM, click here (meeting ID: 873 3636 1158; Password: 629570).

To find out more about the Ignitian Examen prayer, click here.

To read Bishop Paul’s message about confronting racism, click here.